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It’s Important to Make Time for Your Dreams

Time is a funny thing. Sometimes we feel that it’s closing in around us, but when there’s something we’re passionate about, we can create a way to make time for it and it often gets done faster.

One way to find time for what matters is to use free time wisely and fully. For instance, the only files I keep in my office are the ones pertaining to the projects that are designed to make my dreams come true. Each of my project files has a list of strategies and tactics—the items to do—attached to the front of it. If I’m in my office with an extra hour, or even a few minutes between calls, I can pull out one of my project files, do any item on the list, and I’m in action on something that matters to me. At the end of the day or the week, when I want to plan ahead, I look at my project files and create the next week.

Look at what you do with free time you don’t think of as “free” time, because it generally doesn’t come in big enough blocks to seem meaningful. You know the time I mean—time spent driving to work, standing in line, sitting in the car waiting for school to let out so you can collect the kids in the carpool, while brushing and flossing your teeth—all the little pieces of time all we all encounter during the day. If you’re like most people, your brain is pretty much turned off during those times, or at best, it’s engaged in something non-productive. Remember that big dreams are created by taking many, many little steps. Carry a list with you of the tiny things you can do with small bits of time, and then commit to doing them rather than spacing out while you wait.

Many people also find that scheduling everything helps them find extra time. When you schedule something, your mind sees it as a commitment. What better to commit to than the actions that will help you achieve your dreams? Remember to schedule your commitments to yourself first, and then work everything else around them. Do it in ink so you can’t erase it!

Lastly, be honest with yourself. I’m convinced that people make time for what matters most to them. If you’re constantly trying to make time for something, but find that it’s just not happening, look at things honestly and ask yourself whether the thing you’re trying to do is really as important to you as you claim it is. Chances are it won’t be. If it’s not, put it aside and focus on something that is. The more attention and intention you put behind your dreams, the more quickly you’ll see them made real. Making time, then using that time wisely, is just the next step on the journey; there’s never been a more important time to act on your dreams!